Harbourside Place to Present SHELL OF A MAN
Local playwright Donna Carbone returns to Harbourside Place in Jupiter with another dinner theater presentation of her play, Shell of a Man. She originally brought Shell of a Man, the true story of one veterans' battle with PTSD, to Harbourside in September and the demand for tickets far exceeded available seating. The most often heard comment from the audience was "Riveting!" Carbone is passionate about the need to personalize PTSD. She believes that 15 years of war and world events have desensitized society to the needs of our veterans. In a recent interview, she said, "We are on the backside curve of PTSD awareness, so when I saw grown men in the audience trying to hide their tears, I felt hopeful that the message would stay with them long after the final curtain came down. Women cried openly. One audience member told me that he forgot he was watching a play. He believed that the real Robert Logan was on stage speaking to him and he was deeply moved."
Shell of a Man reveals the life of Robert Logan beginning with his early days in the cotton fields of Missouri. Robert was raised in the Jim Crow south. He picked his first bag of cotton at the age of two. The hardship of his young life taught him the skills needed to survive two enlistments in the military and the resulting 40 year battle with PTSD. Carbone's goal is to give PTSD a real name and a real face in order to raise awareness of the need for better healthcare for our men and women in uniform.
The Veterans' Day weekend production of Shell of a Man will be offered with a bit of a twist. Ticket holders will enjoy a delicious prix fixe meal at Another Broken Egg Café and then walk a few steps to the new Vanilla Box Theatre, a venue created especially for this event. The dates are November 10, 11 and 12. Dinner begins at 5:00 pm. The show begins at 7:00 pm. The play features Ewan Leslie as Robert Logan, Jeanne Tidwell as Adriana Fleming and Lee Marlow as Dawn Peters. "I'm so proud of my actors," she stated. "Ewan, Jeanne and Lee are passionate about Robert's story, and that passion is evident in their performances."
Carbone expressed her gratitude to Harbourside Place, especially Connie Kartell, who manages the venue's charitable giving and community service endeavors. "North county residents are lucky to have such dedicated people and such a beautiful venue at which to showcase the many talents of Palm Beach County residents. Without Connie, the Vanilla Box Theatre would not exist and Shell of a Man would be gathering dust on a shelf. She is a true lover of the arts, a woman of deep caring and a visionary," Carbone beamed.
The cost for both the dinner and the show is $40.00. Seating is limited. Tickets can be ordered by calling 561 385-1584.
For more information, contact Donna Carbone at write4you@comcast.net or visit www.writeforyoullc.com.
